


After you Left

by ChancellorKane



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Forgiveness, Mentions of Violence, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-05-16 03:15:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19309504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChancellorKane/pseuds/ChancellorKane
Summary: After college, Marcus leaves for two years to continue his studies abroad, leaving Abby in the United States. Once he returns, it’s safe to say that things have changed.





	1. Chapter 1

Marcus drummed his fingers nervously as the plane descended onto the runway of the nearest airport to Arkadia. It’s been two years since he left. After college, he decided he wanted to continue his studies to learn more about Europe and its history. His girlfriend at the time, Abby Walters, was one year younger than him meaning she still had a year of University to still complete. He’d never ask her to give up her studies for him, and so he didn’t.

He took a cab back to the house he grew up in. It was his mother’s up until she passed away just before he turned 23. The house was seemingly untouched besides the monthly services he ordered to keep the lawn cut and house dusted. His blue pick-up truck sat in the garage where he left it. The first thing he wanted to do was go see Abby. Their relationship had ended rough, he doubts she has forgiven him over those two years, especially since he never called or texted. He was afraid that if he heard her voice he’d drop everything and move back.

He pulled into the apartment complex they used to live in together and recognized her white car sitting in the front parking spot.

Marcus walked up the steps and knocked on the door. He was suddenly hit with another wave of nerves.

_Abby was in their bedroom folding laundry when a slip of paper fell from Marcus’s coat pocket. She looked down at it before storming into the kitchen where he was sitting at the counter with his laptop open._

_She shoved the paper into his chest, “A one way trip? What the hell is wrong with you?”_

_It was when Marcus stood up that Abby caught sight of his laptop. European housing._

_She looked up at him, eyes glossy._

_“You’re leaving?”_

_He gave a slight nod and she fell into his arms. He ran his hand up and down her back, tracing patterns over her clothed skin._

_He pulled back and tilted her chin up, “It’ll be okay. I’m just studying for a year or two, nothing will keep me from being with you.”_

_“When do you go?”_

_“Next month.”_

_She nodded before faintly smiling up at him and then pulling his lips down to hers._

_“Then let’s make the most of our time.”_

His thoughts were cut short as his name fell from her lips.

“You’re back,” she murmured in a shaky breath before she jumped into his arms and had her head buried in his chest.

“I missed you so much,” he pulled back to take her in. She wore a pair of leggings and a Polis University hoodie.  _Polis University? Why would she be wearing that?_

He brought his eyes back up to meet hers and suddenly felt the air shift. Her eyes turned cold, they reminded him of the day he left.

“Are you too good to call, even text?” she took a step away from him. Marcus opened his mouth and closed it again as she began speaking. I’m not done, she said.

Abby jabbed an accusing finger at his chest, “You _left_ me.”

“You told me we were going to make it work and then you broke up with me the same day you left.”

A moment and then, “You didn’t even ask me to go with you.”

Her voice got louder as she continued, tears fell silently down her cheeks. He reached out to brush them away, just like he did when her dad died, when she got in fights with Callie, and when they watched a sad movie together. It all felt like a lifetime ago. She closed her eyes to compose herself and then stepped away from his touch.

“I’m finally moving on.”

“Abby..”

“I’m finally moving on and then you come back.”

***

Theo, Jake, and Marcus stood around the pool table playing a game at the local bar.

“How was Europe? Meet any girls?” Theo smirked as he lined up his shot.

Marcus took a sip of his beer, _No, I felt like I’d be betraying Abby,_ his thoughts trailed off and he answered Theo’s first question instead, “It was good, I suppose it could’ve been better.”

Theo raised an eyebrow at this and Marcus sighed, knowing his closest friend wouldn’t let it go.

“I wish she was there with me. Abby, I mean.”

Marcus paused to take his shot, “I went to see her yesterday.” He took another sip, “She hasn’t forgiven me.”

“And she _shouldn’t.”_ Marcus’s head snapped up to Jake, his eyebrows furrowed. Theo gave a knowing look.

“What?”

“All I’m saying is, she was a mess after you left.”

Jake set his beer on the corner of the table and walked towards Marcus, he extended a hand out to his shoulder.

“There’s no _good_ way for this to come out, but look man, a lot’s happened since you left. I was there for her when you weren’t.”

Marcus felt as if he’d been physically slapped. Everything fell together, the hoodie Abby had been wearing was his, Jake was the one who went to Polis University and she said she was finally _moving on_. God, he’d been so stupid to think he could still have a life with her even after everything.

Putting on his best fake smile, “I’m happy for you. She deserves someone good.”

As the night at the bar rolled on, Marcus found out that Abby and Jake have been together for two months, he also learned that Callie and Theo would be having their one year anniversary and was invited, along with Jake and Abby, to spend the next weekend at the lake house they rented.


	2. Chapter 2

Marcus had a terrible hangover. After he learned about Jake and Abby the previous night, he couldn’t stop drinking.

The doorbell rang and he groaned, he made his way to the door only to come face to face with the person he’d been thinking about all night.

“Abby?”

She held a box in her arms and was visibly calmer than she was a few days ago.

“I thought you’d want your stuff, being back and all.” She bit her lip, contemplating if she should continue or not.

“You _are_ back now, right?”

“Yeah, yeah I am.” Marcus groaned again as Abby leaned to one side, the sunlight now hitting his eyes directly.

“Are you hungover?” She asked, her voice laced with humor.

“Maybe,” He sighed.

He stepped out of the way and invited her in, “You can come in, you know.” She walked over the threshold and he watched as she went over to the counter and set the box down. She was as beautiful as ever.

Looking around, “It looks the same as it did before.”

He smiled before closing the door, “I gave Charmaine strict orders not to rearrange anything.”

Marcus started to make his way over to her, “How are you Abby, really?”

She sat down on one of the barstools at the counter, “Better than I have been in awhile.”

Sighing, “Look, Marcus I’m sorry for blowing up at you the other day. Seeing you again, it opened up old wounds that I wasn’t ready to face.”

“You had every right..”

“No, well yeah, you kind of deserved it.” She looked up and had a playful look on her face that he fell in love with all those years ago.

“Honest as ever I see.” He playfully shot back at her. He missed this, he missed  _her._

She laughed before changing the topic to something she had to get off her chest.

“In all seriousness, Jake told me what he said to you last night. I don’t want you to think that I didn’t give myself time after.. after everything.”

When he stayed quiet, she continued, “I didn’t move on right after you left. It was actually only a couple months ago that I finally let myself feel things for other people.”

“Abby, you don’t have to explain. I’m not holding anything against you.”

“You’re always so understanding, that’s something I’ve missed.”

They fell into a silence which has always been comfortable when it was only just the two of them. Abby then reached into the box and pulled out an old pair of makeshift bunny ears, “Remember these?”

Marcus laughed, “How could I not? You _insisted_ I wear those to Charles’s party in the Fall. If i remember right, your exact words were  _come on Marcus, everyone will be dressed up and you’ll look adorable!_ ”

Abby laughed, recalling the memory, “And then we got there and we were the _only_ ones in costume.”

They talked about the new things Marcus learned and then about Abby and what she’s been able to accomplish over the two years. Turns out she got the teaching job she’s always wanted and was even able to start a new program at the school that allows kids to get even more help than the tutoring sessions offered before. Marcus reached out and touched her arm, saying how proud he was of her and that he always knew she’d be the greatest teacher Arkadia ever had.

_“We can’t do this, Abby.”_

_She pulled on his arm to stop him in his tracks as she walked him through the airport towards security._

_“What are you talking about?”_

_“Us.”_

_He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her mouth._

_“Don’t tell me this is it. You said that we’d make it work.”_

_She cupped his face, forcing him to look down at her, “You told me there was nothing that would stop you from being with me.”_

_Marcus looked up and swallowed. He just lost his mom. He wouldn’t lose her like that too. It was best if he let her go, he figured it would save him the heartbreak of losing her unwillingly somehow._

_“Things change,” was the only answer he offered._

_“Ask me to come with you and I will,” Abby pleaded with him._

_“I won’t do that, Abby.”_

_Now she was getting upset, “Why not Marcus?”_

_“I won’t be the person who stands here and makes you choose. I’m sorry.” And with tears in his eyes and a broken heart, he was gone._


	3. Chapter 3

Abby, Jake, Callie, Theo, and Marcus pulled up to the lake house Friday afternoon. The house Theo and Callie rented was at the same place Marcus and Abby would visit on some weekends during summer vacation in college. Callie showed Marcus his room and he was hit with memories of the weekends they shared there.

That night, the five of them sat around the fire drinking beer and sharing stories. Marcus and Abby were the only still-sober ones in the group. Somehow Marcus got roped into telling them more details about Europe by Theo who sat across from him with Callie practically in his lap.

“I honestly didn’t have much free time but when I did-“

Callie drunkly cut him off, “Ooh tell us Marcus, were you seeing someone?”

His eyes shifted to Abby for half a second, she was the only one who seemed to notice.

“No, no I toured major cities, visited attractions. Stuff like that.”

Abby, who remained quiet most of the night, got up from her spot next to Jake.

“I’m going to call it a night. You guys carry on.”

Once Abby was in the house, Marcus shook his bottle, proving it to be empty.

“I’m going to get another, anyone else?”

They all nodded and he made his way into the house only to come face to face with Abby.

“I was wondering when you were going to follow me in here.”

“I wasn’t, I’m just grabbing another..”

“Come on, Marcus.” She took him by the arm and led him out to the balcony that overlooked the lake.

“What’re we doing out here, Abby?”

“It’s where we had our second date,” she looked up at him, faint traces of a smile adorned her lips.

She laughed, “God Marcus, you were terrible even then at hiding how you truly felt.”

He swallowed, “Whatever you’re getting at..“

“It’s nothing,” she waved him off, stepping forward and crossing her arms on the railing.

“You don’t regret it, do you?”

She sighed, continuing, “I mean why would you, you had everything you could’ve wanted out there. By the way you were talking about it, it’s clear that it was one of your better decisions.” She looked up at him for a brief moment before casting her gaze back over the water.

“I just want to know, what changed?”

He picked up on what she was _getting at_  this time.

“My mom died,” came his mere whisper.

“I couldn’t lose you like I lost her. I thought,” he took a breath to compose himself, “I thought that if I let you go on my own, I wouldn’t have to later on.”

She nodded, her back still towards him. A few moments of silence passed before he stepped forward and placed a hand on her lower back.

“I do regret it.” She turned her body slightly to show she was listening.

“Leaving you like that after I said we’d make it work.”

“You broke me.”

“Abby..”

“But you’re also the one who put me back together when you showed up on my doorstep a week ago. I understand what you did now, Marcus. You’re still the man I love.”

“Love?”

She looked down, “Loved.” Shaking her head, “I meant loved.”

She turned around to face him completely and reached up to smooth down a curl that always fell out of place, “I was angry at you for so long. I don’t want to feel like that anymore.”

He reached out to touch her other hand that was still resting on the edge when Jake’s voice echoed through the house.

“Marcus! Man, I thought you said you were grabbing us another.”

He cursed under his breath, “I have to go.”

He turned to leave but before he could do so Abby grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

***

The next morning, the five of them got ready to take the boat out onto the water. Callie and Abby packed sunscreen and bug spray, Theo and Jake loaded the cooler onto the boat, and Marcus made sandwiches for everyone to have at lunchtime.

When Marcus was in the kitchen, Jake walked in.

“You going to come clean?”

”Hm?” He looked up from where he was cutting tomatoes.

”What were you doing last night?”

”I was with you guys out by the fire.” Jake came around the counter to stand next to him.

”I know everyone was drinking but I didn’t think you’d be able to forget my god awful stories,” Marcus said with amusement evident in his voice, clearly not sensing that Jake wasn’t in a joking mood.

“I might’ve been drunk but I’m not stupid,” he stepped even closer to him, Marcus continued to focus on the task at hand. Jake then grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket, turning him around.

”What happened with _my_ girlfriend last night? _”_

Understanding what he was implying, ”Seriously Jake you know me better than that.”

He scoffed, continuing, “At least I thought you did.” And with that he yanked his arm out of Jake’s grasp. _  
_

“You think you can come back after all this time and be _close_ to her again? You don’t know half the things she’s said about you.” Jake laughed out of pity.


	4. Chapter 4

Marcus sat in the seat furthest away from Abby and Jake, he didn’t want to upset him any more. Jake always had a temper, even before Marcus left he remembered how easily Jake would get worked up.

”You okay Marcus?” Callie leaned in from where she was sitting, trying to keep the conversation between them and only them.

Marcus rubbed a hand down his face, “Yeah, yeah I’m good.”

”Rough night?”

”Rough week is more like it.”

Callie stole a glance at where Abby and Jake were seated before turning her attention back to one of her oldest friends.

She reached out and squeezed his forearm, ”It’ll get better.”

She got up from her seat and rubbed her hands together, “I think I’m going to get in the water.”

After she took her half-zipped sweater off which revealed her bikini, she turned around and pulled Marcus up by his arm. “You’re coming too,” she said.

After 15 minutes of swimming in the lake, Callie went over to a rock where she started her tan, eventually Abby came over and sat on the edge of the deck leaving Jake and Jaha to converse.

Marcus swam over to a still-clothed Abby.

”And then there were two.”

“You having fun in there all by yourself?” She teased.

He gave her that boyish smile of his and before she knew what was happening his arms were around her torso and she was neck deep in the water. Abby’s hands reflexively sought his shoulders out to steady herself but the contact was over as soon as it started.

”Damnit Marcus!” She playfully slapped his chest.

To get payback, Abby tried to pull him down with her to get his somehow  _always_ perfect hair wet. Jake turned at the noises of splashing and sported a heavy look of disdain on his face.

***

Later that evening, Jake and Abby found themselves in their room at the lake house. The air has been heavy with tension between them ever since Jake made a snippy comment towards Marcus about  _being a flake_. Abby had defended him which made Jake upset. Unbeknown to Abby, she wanted to find out what was wrong.

”What’s up with you lately, Jake?” Abby asked.

He continued to sort through his suitcase, trying to find a pair of shorts to wear. Abby kneeled next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at her.

”Talk to me, please.”

”I have nothing to say to you.”

”You’re acting like a child, please Jake.”

Jake abruptly closed his suitcase and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut with more force than necessary. Abby got under the covers and buried her head in the pillows. She finally allowed herself to cry,  _really cry,_ after everything she’s been through the past week. The man she had always seen as her future just came back and the man she finally opened herself up to was angry.

A soft knock forced Abby to compose herself. She padded over to the door and opened it to Marcus.  _Of course it’s Marcus,_ she thought.

He had always been the more caring of the two, she remembered how he’d check on her to make sure she was okay whereas Jake left her to sulk in her own sorrow. Marcus was the one who fixed things with her whenever they fought, Jake was the one who left with a temper and didn’t come home until one in the morning.

”I heard the door slam and saw Jake on the front porch...” He took in the redness around her eyes and her tear-stained face. He stepped forward, immediately concerned.

“Are you okay? Has he done something?”

”I’m fine, Marcus.” Her words came out more harshly than she intended, it wasn’t his fault that Jake was acting irrational.

“It was just an argument. You remember those with me don’t you?” She smiled weakly up at him.

Nodding, he reached out to wipe the wetness from her face.

“Is it wrong to say I miss them?”

Abby couldn't pinpoint the exact reason, but all she knew was, in this moment, she was more comfortable than she had been in the last two months.


	5. Chapter 5

Two weeks after the weekend at the lake house, Marcus invites Abby, Jake, Callie and Theo, as well as some others, over for a bbq he’s hosting. Jake, of course, is reluctant to go but Abby’s all for it.

Ever since that night on the boat things have taken a turn for the worse between Jake and Abby. He doesn’t come over to her apartment as much and when he does it’s to start an argument, one which Abby is certainly  _not_ up for.

”He’s your friend Jake, not to mention he’s expecting you to be there.”

Jake laughed bitterly, “And what’s he to you?”

”He’s _my_ friend too.”

He rolled his eyes, “Sure.”

”I don’t know what I did to be treated like this but Jake, can today be civil? Please?” She reached out to place a hand on his chest which Jake covered with his own.

”I’m sorry,” and he genuinely sounded like he was.  _How foolish of me,_ Abby would think later as she looked back on this moment.

***

Abby didn’t see much of Jake at the bbq, he was always off with Diana or another one of his friends opening a new can of beer every time she looked over in his direction. Later that night she lost sight of Jake completely and found herself in the backyard on Marcus’s patio where she used to chat with his mom as he would either be doing yard-work or playing ball with one of his younger cousins who visited on occasion.

_”He’s going to be a great father someday,” Vera said to Abby as Marcus and Chris threw the football back and forth._

_Abby smiled warmly at her before returning her attention back to Marcus, taking notice of the way his muscles moved beneath his_ _t-shirt._

_”I never thought about that.”_

_Vera reached over from where she was sitting and squeezed Abby’s forearm, “When the time is right, I know you’ll have a beautiful family with my son.”_

_Marcus jogged over to where the two most important women in his life were sitting, he bent down to kiss Abby on the head. She pulled a face and mumbled something about him being sweaty._

_”What’re you talking about?”_

_”Just my future grandchildren,” Vera shrugged and replied nonchalantly, but couldn’t help the slight upturn of her lips._

_”Mom!” Marcus chided as his eyes nervously darted between his mother and girlfriend. Abby laughed at that._

_”Relax, Marcus.” Abby playfully poked at him from where she was seated._

_Marcus shrugged before a retort fell from his lips which had Abby narrowing her eyes at him, ”They’d be stubborn as hell that’s for sure.”_

_He gripped the arms of her chair and leaned over her._ _“But also beautiful like their mother,” before capturing her lips in a quick kiss._

_Abby patted his chest, “Nice save.”_

“Hey, you okay?” Marcus’s voice and the scraping sound of him moving a chair closer pulled Abby from her memories.

She realized how ridiculous she must look as she reaches up to wipe the tears from her face. She missed Vera, she was always kind to Abby when her own mother failed to be.

”Yeah just... thinking.” She looked over at him and offered a small smile which he returned.

Marcus’s eyes trailed away from her face and looked behind her through the clear sliding glass door where he could see Jake and Diana getting a little handsy. They were all inside playing some dance game on his console and clearly it was Jake and Diana’s turn.

Abby must’ve seen the look on his face because she turned around in her chair, her expression going cold. She abruptly stood up but was halted by Marcus who got up faster.

”Abby.”

”Marcus, get out of my way.” She could feel the tears forming in her eyes for the second time that night.

”Abby,” he softly took her by the shoulders, prompting her to look up at him. “He’s drunk.”

Now she was getting angry at him. _W_ _as Marcus really making an excuse for Jake’s behavior?_

”It doesn’t give him the right to-“

“It doesn’t. I know. Look, Abby. You know how he gets when he has too much to drink.”

”I’m going in there.” She tries to step around him but he moves to the side blocking her once again.

” _Listen to me!”_ The volume of his voice stops her.

”I’m looking out for  _you_.”

Marcus notices the way her face softens as she picks up on what he’s trying to say. He was clearly referring to the incident that happened at a college party a couple years prior. Jake drank a little too much, his temper growing worse than normal. Marcus tried to calm him down when he got in Sinclair’s face but Jake just shoved him out of the way, causing him to bruise his back on the edge of the island counter. Theo was the one who eventually got them away from each other. Jake apologized the next day, Marcus obviously forgave him but it was still something that he held in the back of his mind.

”It’s best to talk about this  _later,_ probably tomorrow.” He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, “Hey, I know you love him. You guys will get through this. Everything will be okay.”

She shook her head, ”I don’t. I, I can’t.”

”What?”

”He doesn’t care about me. Not the way you did.”

” _Do,_ ” he took a step closer to her, lowering his voice. ”I never stopped caring, Abby.”


End file.
